Hey, Aimee I've seen that guy Jeff B. on commercials and tv, he does look really ordinary. ha. That's the thing about New York too, you can have a perfectly ordinary person standing next to you and then find out they make a fortune or are famous in their field or have a completely quirky job. Sometimes they even look a little bummy, heh heh.

I agree with Josh, lady (smart guy). You've been sick for weeks. And not just a cold, you were tossing your cookies, you couldn't sleep. You were really sick. Even though you may feel better that doesn't mean you would have all your energy back! And when I'm over tired I get over emotional. And you lost about 20 lbs from not eating. If I told you I went through that, you'd say "take it easy, Marge! let yourself heal." so, that's my advice to you.

My back to exercise rededication is going well this week. I'm going to the gym today. I measured myself the other day and I've lost just about an inch off my hips and another inch off my chest (an area that's seeing the most shrinkage!). I wish it would come off my waist, I'm right on the border of apple/pear. So even though the weight isn't dropping off in leaps and bounds I'm seeing changes.

Don't forget the Biggest Loser tonight. Get to see the families all skinny, my favorite part.

I'm beginning to have my doubts that I will make my Valentine's Day goal, but that won't keep me from trying! I do know I need to up my cardio--30 minutes a day is not enough to get the results I want.

Marge, if you haven't yet, read my blog entry from yesterday. It talks about dedication, and I thought it was very helpful.

Looks like I am going to have to have a chat with a co-worker regarding his tone and attitude toward me today. It's not what he said, it was the way he said it...I'm getting bolder now, so I will have to tell him I will NOT tolerate being spoken to in that manner.

Speaking of standing up for myself: I was at the grocery during lunch hour to get one of the ready-made salads. I also picked up a dark chocolate Dove bar for my afternoon snack. The cashier, an older woman, saw the candy bar, looked at me and said, "Naughty, naughty! You shouldn't be eating that candy bar!" Now, she had NO RIGHT saying that to me for a multitude of reasons, the main one being that I am a customer.

I GLARED at her, which made her start to backpedal: "I'm only kidding, you've earned the right to eat that, since you are having a salad" and other things I totally ignored. It was clear that she engaged her mouth before engaging her brain. I did not say a word to her until I turned to leave. "Next time, I would advise that you think before you speak. Words can hurt people." She stood there stunned. I hope maybe she learned a lesson in tolerance.

Okay enough preaching from me....will catch up with you all later!

__________________One day at a time is more than just a saying.....First goal: Back under 300!

I need to tell myself this, too. I don't know if Howie and I are both fighting off some low-grade bug or what, but we're both tired and feeling yucky, just feel pooped pretty quickly. He's felt nauseated the last couple of days, but hasn't had any tummy flu type stuff other than a bellyache. He's been waking up in the middle of the night with insomnia since stopping the oxycodone a couple days ago, just generally feels yuck. The pain isn't unmanageable, so he's not taking oxycodone anymore. We hope this is just his body withdrawing from it.

In better news, we went into Columbus today to Fleet Feet. We'd highly recommend them! The owner took sitting and standing foot measurements and had us walk on a treadmill while recording our feet with a digicam so he could analyze our individual walking motion and any issues that need to be addressed. He saw that I am an over-pronator (my one foot especially turns inward when I walk, plus it's a little pigeon-toed). He brought out a pair of Brooks shoes and when I mentioned I'd really like waterproof ones if possible, he went in back and swapped them for another pair of Brooks -- trail shoes with Gor-Tex uppers, waterproof. They fit great and supported my ankle just like I needed. Score!

It really pays to go to a store where they know their product and can fit you correctly. After analyzing Howie's needs, he said Howie is an under-pronator, also called a supinator. His feet roll outward. That, compounded by the fact that Howie wears a 4E width, limited his choices to special orders. He has a pair of New Balance 976 country walkers coming via an internet order, and the man looked them up and said they'd probably be a good choice for him, anyway.

It was nice he didn't just try to sell us some shoe - we appreciated that. He asked us to let him know how they work out for Howie, just out of curiosity. When he heard about his great weight loss, he asked for our phone number because he likes to put human interest stories in his newsletter and Howie would be a good story.

On the way home, we stopped at our local bike trail and walked. My shoes fit great! Howie started feeling lousy while walking, sort of how you feel when you have motion sickness, he said. We turned back early and he's lying down in bed. I sure wish he'd start feeling better soon; I feel so bad for him and there's little I can do.

__________________ I was down to 199, but got back up to 280. Know what? No matter what my emotions, hormones and taste buds say, I won't ever give up!

Jen, good for you, standing up for yourself with that cashier and giving her a reality check. That's wonderful and I bet you said it in a way which was calm and will make her think about her words in the future.

__________________ I was down to 199, but got back up to 280. Know what? No matter what my emotions, hormones and taste buds say, I won't ever give up!

Hi Ladies! It feels good to be home! The trip to Seattle was a nice transition from being un-well to returning home well. Does that make sense? I got on the scale to check my damage, and it's still showing 239. I'll take it!

Marge - thank you, I really needed that. I always expect too much from myself, think I should be up and running quicker than humanly possible. I know I'll get there, it takes time. As I get used to being home I'll start to add exercise into things, I'll charge up my ipod and get some good walking in. I'm going to aim to burn 3,500 calories a week via exercise... should mean that I lose a pound a week. Hmm, hopefully anyways!

Jen - good for you and standing up for yourself! I was a little shocked at the lack of courtesay while I was in Seattle, not that everyone here is all "please and thank you", but there was a difference. I can't imagine ANYONE saying such a thing, I'd make Josh kick their butt.. hehe..

Kimberley - funny you should mention the nausea, my brother's ex-gf was coming down with a little bug, but her only symptoms were nausea and lack of sleeping. Perhaps there is something to that? I wouldn't expect to much from yourself just yet, you and Howie both need to heal.. I think those little walks will help, just don't expect too much too fast. Hmm.. perhaps listening to our own advice might be helpful, eh? heh..

Well, I am tired like HECK! Its been a long day, I am off to have a little snack and get to sleep! Nite!

I had a GREAT day yesterday! Nothing particularly exciting happened, but for the first time in God knows how long, I stayed well below 2000 calories (ended the day at a little under 1050). And, just as an example of how horrible TOM weight can be, yesterday morning's scale reading said 285.5 (TOM had not yet started--began yesterday evening), and this morning it said 281 I know weighin every day is not recommended, but it really makes me feel better to know that I wasn't as out-of-control as the scale said!

Jen--wow, what an incredibly insensitive cashier! No amount of backpeddaling was going to make up for such a comment. I am so glad you said something instead of just pretending like nothing happened. Go you!

Aimee--So glad to hear you're feeling better...and that the scale is being nice! I can't WAIT to be below 240...you're on quite a roll, despite the recent illness

Marge--good job on getting back to your exercise. I have to do that, too, but I'm just getting my food back under control...one thing at a time

Kimberley--WOW, with all that testing and measuring, I bet your new shoes feel heavenly! I know how hard it can be to find really good sneakers, but I am really cheap, so I will probably just settle for Payless for the rest of my life

I took measurements this morning--a total of 4.75 inches gone! Unfortunately, the majority of it came from my chest! Oh well, I have some to spare, so it's not so bad! Alan didn't measure himself this morning, but did tell me that he is at a new low in his weight--almost the 220's! I am proud of him!

Jill: I'm with you--Payless is my favorite shoe store! Although I think I will splurge for my next set of trainers and get a better known brand.

Kimberley: I agree with Aimee--try to still take it easy. You have both been through alot in the last few weeks, and will take time to build up to what you were pre-surgery.

Marge: for some reason I've always has a defined waist, no matter what my size has been. I guess that is a good thing! Congrats on you losing inches too!

Will check in later!

__________________One day at a time is more than just a saying.....First goal: Back under 300!

Kimberley, very cool re: the new hiking boots. thanks for the tip. I tend to walk on the outsides of my feet and turn them outwards a little too. I've read in several places that it's important to have shoes with good support if you exercise. If you don't you can have problems with your joints, ankles, knees. I feel for me it's especially important since my weight puts extra pressure on those places. I pay anywhere from $50 to $80 for a pair of New Balance. I wear them all the time. I have some problems with my Achilles tendons that I have to be careful with too.

Jen, I can really relate to your story about standing up for yourself (congrats on that). I know in the past and even now I've had the tendency to slink away rather than just speak up, then eat. Re your blog, I totally agree about the comfort zone. I've been working on that this last month and a half too. Sometimes it amazes me how easy it is for me to get into and stay in a rut. Gongrats on losing those inches! I hear you re: losing it in the chest area, heh heh.

Aimee, you got to party hearty and still see the same weight on the scale, now that's a good weekend!! heh heh. I'm going to the gym to do aerobics today, it will be an extra day to rev things up a little here. Sometimes I don't see the results until the following week, grrr.

Jill, I know how tough it is to get eating back into a program, believe me.

I have the Biggest Loser on tape and am going to watch it tonight. The Italian family own a restaurant in the Bronx on Arthur Avenue, which is a little pocket area of Italian shops and restaurants, I've been meaning to go up there and see it, since I never have. Now if I go to their place I can say, hey, I know you skinny people! heh heh.

Howie and I walked just under a mile today. The last leg of it, where we have to walk uphill, really gets to us. But we're pressing on. It feels good once I'm out there, because it means I didn't cave to the slug in me.

We've had some slip-ups this week eating, but in all we've eaten *well*. We've just eaten too much of the good things. I'm so thankful Howie and I are in this together, I tell ya.

He's feeling better today, not nauseated anymore. He still doesn't have much of an appetite, especially for veggies. His taste is still off from the anesthesia, we're thinking. He's still feeling kind of dizzy, but it got better when he took Sudafed; I bet it's sinus congestion making him feel that way.

__________________ I was down to 199, but got back up to 280. Know what? No matter what my emotions, hormones and taste buds say, I won't ever give up!

Woohoo, another on-plan day calorie-wise under my belt. I knew that once I got started, it would be easier--it was just the starting that was giving me so much trouble!

Tonight, we're going to see When a Stranger Calls. We tried to order the original through Netflix, but it's on a "very long wait," so I guess we will see them in reverse order. Then we'll probably hit Uno's for dinner since it's in the same parking lot. I like Uno's because they have their nutritional info online, so I have already checked it out and have narrowed it down to a few options that will fit into my daily caloric allowance

Jen--Congrats on the inches lost!! I have not measured myself once throughout any of my journey. Actually, I'm pretty sure I don't even own a tape measure long enough to go around my waist

Marge--I watched that Biggest Loser episode..how cool that you can go to their restaurant! Have you watched it yet? They look so much healthier!

Kimberley--slip-ups are understandable considering your circumstances. So long as they don't turn into one big free-for-all, I'm sure you guys make enough healthy choices to at least maintain your success so far. With Howie's surgery and everything, I'm sure losing weight isn't your #1 priority right now

Well, my slip-up's have netted me a gain. I can only blame so much of my 4 pound gain on not enough water and PMS. I've been snacking late at night, just generally going over my calories. For the first time since starting this weight loss, I feel really discouraged. Hope that part's mostly PMS, too. Y'all don't know how I hated putting that ticker back up to 203 today.

Well, I'm going to get showered and go on a walk with Howie. I think I need to walk on my own, too, because I don't get any workout walking alongside him, not until he can walk faster.

__________________ I was down to 199, but got back up to 280. Know what? No matter what my emotions, hormones and taste buds say, I won't ever give up!

Well, my slip-up's have netted me a gain. I can only blame so much of my 4 pound gain on not enough water and PMS.

Hey, I dropped 4.5 pounds from the day before my TOM to the next day (when it started), so ya never know

I must tell you guys how totally ADDICTED I am to those Morningstar Farms veggie burgers! I hadn't had them before because they are expensive, and having tried other veggie burgers in the past, I didn't like the texture very much. Well, they were on sale a few weeks ago, so I bought 4 different kinds, and I LOVE them!! They rock for lunches at work because I would never cook a real meat burger patty in the microwave for just 2-3 minutes, nor would I leave the meat patty sitting in my lunch bag all day, both of which I can do with these. I just bring 2 Morningstar patties, 2 wheat buns, some raw spinach (instead of lettuce), and some Mircale Whip in my bag, and voila--perfect lunch including whole grains, veggies, and protein I don't even need cheese because they are so flavorful (I ALWAYS add cheese to regular burgers). I have tried so far this week the Tomato Basil Pizza flavor, the Garden Vegetable kind, and I just finished 2 of the Grillers Prime ones--YUM! Oh, and they have coupons on the inside of th eboxes so I can afford ot buy more

I wouldn't feel discouraged, Kimberley. Wow, I wish I had a buck for every pound I've gained on this journey! I could finally get that house I've always wanted, heh heh. It was really major surgery, and surgery on someone that's the nearest and dearest to you, and then you've been having health probs. (PS when I gained 4 lbs a few weeks ago, I lost it again the following week following my program, not real fat weight, I don't think.)

Jen, congrats! Good luck with the gym, I joined the local Y in April and I love it. It really lifts my mood, has made me stronger and helped with endurance. It's a really positive thing.

Jill, I did see TBL, I love it! I can't believe how fast the guys can drop the lbs! They looked skinny. On top of that they were around Italian food (and burgers and fries) all day long. Now that's what I call self control! Congrats on stacking those good eating days. This week I felt like I did fairly well with the eating, and really well with the exercise this past week (4 days at the gym and I stuck to my at home exercise). BTW, believe me, any tape measure would fit around your waist, girl. I would definitely suggest keeping track of the inches, that will pick you up. Esp after doing the gym, the inches show when the lbs don't.

Thanks, y'all. I feel more positive tonight. We walked at the arboretum, half the walk up a fairly steep grade. After that, we stopped by the YMCA and re-activated our membership, popping in to say hi to Sandi the water arthritis class instructor and Constance the fitness trainer. They were both just blown away with the change in Howie, especially. He's hurting tonight, overdid things a little and his hips hurt. But still...Holy cow.

His wedding ring is at the jeweler's now, being resized from its current size 14 to an 11.5! We took it to the same jeweler who engraved his watch, and they remembered the story.

__________________ I was down to 199, but got back up to 280. Know what? No matter what my emotions, hormones and taste buds say, I won't ever give up!